arXiv subjects

Marco Farina

Publications and source records attributed to Marco Farina.

36 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2015

Odd Top Partners at the LHC

LHC searches for fermionic top partners $T$ focus on three decay topologies: $T\to bW$, $T\to tZ$, and $T\to th$. However, top partners may carry new conserved quantum numbers that forbid these decays. The simplest possibility is a conserved parity, under which the top partner is odd and all SM states are even. In this case, decays of top partners may involve new particle-odd scalars, leading to signal topologies more commonly associated with supersymmetry, either with or without R-parity conservation. We study a simplified model in which this possibility is realized, and estimate the bounds on the top partner mass in this model implied by LHC searches for supersymmetry. We find that the bounds can be significantly weaker than in the conventional top partner decay scenario. For example, if the new parity is exact, a 500 GeV top partner is allowed as long as the lightest parity-odd scalar mass is between 325 and 500 GeV. The lower allowed top partner mass reduces the need for fine-tuning in the Higgs mass parameter, compared to the conventional decay scenario. We also present an explicit model, the Oddest Little Higgs, which exhibits this phenomenology.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2015

Asymmetric Twin Dark Matter

We study a natural implementation of Asymmetric Dark Matter in Twin Higgs models. The mirroring of the Standard Model strong sector suggests that a twin baryon with mass around 5 GeV is a natural Dark Matter candidate once a twin baryon number asymmetry comparable to the SM asymmetry is generated. We explore twin baryon Dark Matter in two different scenarios, one with minimal content in the twin sector and one with a complete copy of the SM, including a light twin photon. The essential requirements for successful thermal history are presented, and in doing so we address some of the cosmological issues common to many Twin Higgs models. The required interactions we introduce predict signatures at direct detection experiments and at the LHC.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2015

Precision Higgsstrahlung as a Probe of New Physics

A "Higgs factory", an electron-positron collider with center-of-mass energy of about 250 GeV, will measure the cross section of the Higgsstrahlung process, $e^+e^-\rightarrow hZ$, with sub-percent precision. This measurement is sensitive to a variety of new physics scenarios. In this paper, we study two examples. First, we compute corrections to the $e^+e^-\rightarrow hZ$ differential cross section in the effective field theory (EFT) approach, including the complete set of dimension-6 operators contributing to this process. These results are applicable to any model where the new physics mass scale is significantly above the weak scale. Second, we present a complete one-loop calculation of the effect of third-generation squarks, with arbitrary soft masses and mixing, on this cross section. This is expected to be the leading correction in natural supersymmetric models. We demonstrate the agreement between the full one-loop calculation and the EFT result in the limit of large stop masses. Finally, we estimate the discovery reach of the $e^+e^-\rightarrow hZ$ cross section measurement in the two models.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2015

Probing CP Violation in $h \to Zγ$ with Background Interference

We show that the parity of the $h Zγ$ vertex can be probed by interference between the gluon fusion Higgs production, $gg \to h \to γZ \to γ\ell^+\ell^-$, and the background, $gg \to γZ \to γ\ell^+\ell^-$, amplitudes. In the presence of a parity violating $hZγ$ vertex, this interference alters the kinematic distribution of the leptons and photon compared to Standard Model (SM) expectations. For a Higgs with SM-sized width and couplings, we find that the size of the effect enters at most at the $10^{-2}$ level. Such a small effect cannot be seen at the LHC, even with futuristic high luminosities. Should there exist other broader scalar particles with larger production cross-section times branching ratio to $Zγ$, then the parity structure of their $Zγ$ couplings can be probed with this technique.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2014

Fast Ultrahigh-Density Writing of Low Conductivity Patterns on Semiconducting Polymers

The exceptional interest in improving the limitations of data storage, molecular electronics, and optoelectronics has promoted the development of an ever increasing number of techniques used to pattern polymers at micro and nanoscale. Most of them rely on Atomic Force Microscopy to thermally or electrostatically induce mass transport, thereby creating topographic features. Here we show that the mechanical interaction of the tip of the Atomic Force Microscope with the surface of a class of conjugate polymers produces a local increase of molecular disorder, inducing a localized lowering of the semiconductor conductivity, not associated to detectable modifications in the surface topography. This phenomenon allows for the swift production of low conductivity patterns on the polymer surface at an unprecedented speed exceeding 20 $μm s^{-1}$; paths have a resolution in the order of the tip size (20 nm) and are detected by a Conducting-Atomic Force Microscopy tip in the conductivity maps.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2014

A modified naturalness principle and its experimental tests

Motivated by LHC results, we modify the usual criterion for naturalness by ignoring the uncomputable power divergences. The Standard Model satisfies the modified criterion ('finite naturalness') for the measured values of its parameters. Extensions of the SM motivated by observations (Dark Matter, neutrino masses, the strong CP problem, vacuum instability, inflation) satisfy finite naturalness in special ranges of their parameter spaces which often imply new particles below a few TeV. Finite naturalness bounds are weaker than usual naturalness bounds because any new particle with SM gauge interactions gives a finite contribution to the Higgs mass at two loop order.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2013

Higgs Couplings and Naturalness in $λ$-SUSY

We study Higgs boson couplings in the large-$λ$ version of the Next-to-Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model, known as $λ$-SUSY. We find that the predicted deviations from the Standard Model (SM) in these couplings are inversely correlated with the amount of fine-tuning needed to accommodate a 126 GeV Higgs. In the most natural regions of parameter space, the 126 GeV Higgs has large admixtures of both the SM-singlet and the non-SM Higgs doublet scalars, and such regions are already ruled out by the LHC. Future improvements in the Higgs coupling measurements will either discover deviations from the SM, or put further stress on naturalness in $λ$-SUSY.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2013

Higgs Couplings and Naturalness

Many extensions of the Standard Model postulate the existence of new weakly coupled particles, the top partners, at or below the TeV scale. The role of the top partners is to cancel the quadratic divergence in the Higgs mass parameter due to top loops. We point out the generic correlation between naturalness (the degree of fine-tuning required to obtain the observed electroweak scale), and the size of top partner loop contributions to Higgs couplings to photons and gluons. If the fine-tuning is required to be at or below a certain level, a model-independent lower bound on the deviations of these Higgs couplings from the Standard Model can be placed (assuming no cancellations between contributions from various sources). Conversely, if a precise measurement of the Higgs couplings shows no deviation from the Standard Model, a certain amount of fine-tuning would be required. We quantify this connection, and argue that a measurement of the Higgs couplings at the per-cent level would provide a serious and robust test of naturalness.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2013

Lifting degeneracies in Higgs couplings using single top production in association with a Higgs boson

Current Higgs data show an ambiguity in the value of the Yukawa couplings to quarks and leptons. Not so much because of still large uncertainties in the measurements but as the result of several almost degenerate minima in the coupling profile likelihood function. To break these degeneracies, it is important to identify and measure processes where the Higgs coupling to fermions interferes with other coupling(s). The most prominent example, the decay of $h \to γγ$, is not sufficient to give a definitive answer. In this Letter, we argue that $t$-channel single top production in association with a Higgs boson, with $h\to b\bar b$, can provide the necessary information to lift the remaining degeneracy in the top Yukawa. Within the Standard Model, the total rate is highly reduced due to an almost perfect destructive interference in the hard process, $W b \rightarrow t h$. We first show that for non-standard couplings the cross section can be reliably computed without worrying about corrections from physics beyond the cutoff scale $Λ\gtrsim 10\,\mathrm{TeV}$, and that it can be enhanced by more than one order of magnitude compared to the SM. We then study the signal $ p p \rightarrow t h j (b)$ with 3 and 4 $b$'s in the final state, and its main backgrounds at the LHC. We find the 8 TeV run dataset to be sensitive to the sign of the anomalous top Yukawa coupling, while already a moderate integrated luminosity at 14 TeV should lift the degeneracy completely.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2012

Implications of XENON100 and LHC results for Dark Matter models

We perform a fit to the recent Xenon100 data and study its implications for Dark Matter scenarios. We find that Inelastic Dark Matter is disfavoured as an explana- tion to the DAMA/LIBRA annual modulation signal. Concerning the scalar singlet DM model, we find that the Xenon100 data disfavors its constrained limit. We study the CMSSM as well as the low scale phenomenological MSSM taking into account latest Tevatron and LHC data (1.1/fb) about sparticles and Bs \rightarrow μμ. After the EPS 2011 conference, LHC excludes the "Higgs-resonance" region of DM freeze-out and Xenon100 disfavors the "well-tempered" bino/higgsino, realized in the "focus-point" region of the CMSSM parameter space. The preferred region shifts to heavier sparticles, higher fine-tuning, higher tan β and the quality of the fit deteriorates.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2012

(Dys)Zphilia or a custodial breaking Higgs at the LHC

Electroweak precision measurements established that custodial symmetry is preserved to a good accuracy in the gauge sector after electroweak symmetry breaking. However, recent LHC results might be interpreted as pointing towards Higgs couplings that do not respect such symmetry. Motivated by this possibility, we reconsider the presence of an explicitly custodial breaking coupling in a generic Higgs parameterization. After briefly commenting on the large UV sensitivity of the T parameter to such a coupling, we perform a fit to results of Higgs searches at LHC and Tevatron, and find that the apparent enhancement of the ZZ channel with respect to WW can be accommodated. Two degenerate best-fit points are present, which we label `Zphilic' and `dysZphilic' depending on the sign of the hZZ coupling. Finally we highlight some measurements at future linear colliders that may remove such degeneracy.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2011

Detecting the Higgs boson(s) in LambdaSUSY

We reconsider the Higgs bosons discovery potential in the LambdaSUSY framework, in which the masses of the scalar particles are increased already at tree level via a largish supersymmetric coupling between the usual Higgs doublets and a Singlet. We analyze in particular the interplay between the discovery potential of the lightest and of the next-to-lightest scalar, finding that the decay modes of the latter should be more easily detected at the LHC.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2011

Can CoGeNT and DAMA Modulations Be Due to Dark Matter?

We explore the dark matter interpretation of the anomalies claimed by the DAMA and CoGeNT experiments, in conjunction with the various null direct-detection experiments. An independent analysis of the CoGeNT data is employed and several experimental and astrophysical uncertainties are considered. Various phenomenological models are studied, including isospin violating interactions, momentum-dependent form factors, velocity-dependent form factors, inelastic scatterings (endothermic and exothermic) and channeling. We find that the severe tension between the anomalies and the null results can be ameliorated but not eliminated, unless extreme assumptions are made.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2011

Higgs boson signals in lambda-SUSY with a Scale Invariant Superpotential

We reconsider the lambda-SUSY model, in which the mass of the Higgs boson is raised already at tree level up to about 200 GeV via an additional interaction in the superpotential between the Higgs bosons and a Singlet, focusing on a scale invariant superpotential. After a detailed analysis of the allowed region in parameter space, which includes constraints coming from the absence of spontaneous CP violation and of unrealistic minima, we study the scalar mass spectrum, the production rate and the decay modes of the lightest scalar, finding that in general both the production rate and the Branching Ratio into gauge bosons can be reduced with respect of those of the standard Higgs, causing it to be hardly detected in the first run of the LHC.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2011

On the QCD corrections to Delta F=2 FCNC in the Supersymmetric SM with hierarchical squark masses

In the context of the Supersymmetric Standard Model with hierarchical sfermion masses, we re-analyze the QCD corrections to Delta F=2 effective Hamiltonian properly including effects which have been neglected so far. The point is that some Delta F=2 diagrams, involving both the heavy and the light sparticles, exhibit a logarithmic dependence on the ratio between the two masses, signalling a sensitivity to all the momenta between the two scales. In order to properly deal with these terms one has to take into account the mixing between Delta F=1 and Delta F=2 operators. In typical situations this treatment can affect the result at the level of 30% or even more.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2011

Minimal Flavour Violation with hierarchical squark masses

In a supersymmetric model with hierarchical squark masses we analyze a pattern of flavour symmetry breaking centered on the special role of the top Yukawa coupling and, by extension, of the full Yukawa couplings for the up-type quarks. For sufficiently heavy squarks of the first and second generation this leads to effective Minimal Flavour Violation of the Flavour Changing Neutral Current amplitudes. For this to happen we determine the bounds on the masses of the heavy squarks with QCD corrections taken into account, properly including previously neglected effects. We believe that the view presented in this paper altogether strengthens the case for hierarchical sfermions.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2010

A Non Standard Supersymmetric Spectrum

Taking a bottom-up point of view and focussing on the lack of signals so far in the Higgs and in the flavour sectors, we argue in favour of giving consideration to supersymmetric extensions of the Standard Model where the lightest Higgs boson has a mass between 200 and 300 GeV and the first two generations of s-fermions are above 20 TeV. After examining the simplest extensions of the Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model that allow this in a natural way, we summarize the main consequences of this pattern of masses at the LHC and we analyze the consequences of a heavier than normal Higgs boson for Dark Matter.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2009

CDMS stands for Constrained Dark Matter Singlet

Motivated by the two candidate Dark Matter events observed by the CDMS experiment, we consider a Constrained Dark Matter Singlet (CDMS) model that, with no free parameters, predicts the DM mass and the DM direct cross section to be in the range weakly favored by CDMS.

hep-ph↗